How to compress bass in Ableton Live
To compress bass, start with a ratio of 3:1 to 6:1, an attack of 10 to 30 ms so the front of each note gets through, and a release of 60 to 150 ms. Lower the threshold until the loudest notes show 3 to 6 dB of gain reduction, so every note sits at a similar level.
| Stage | Detector | Ratio | Attack | Release | Gain reduction | Threshold, peaks at −6 dB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Even out the notes | RMS | 3:1 to 6:1 | 10 to 30 ms | 60 to 150 ms | 3 to 6 dB | −18 dB |
| Hold the peaks (optional) | Peak | 8:1 to 10:1 | 1 to 3 ms | 30 to 60 ms | 1 to 3 dB | −8 dB |
Bass parts use 2 stages on this page: even out the notes and hold the peaks.
1 stage is part of the starting point, and 1 more stage waits until you hear a problem.
Across them the ratio runs from 3:1 to 10:1 and the gain reduction targets from 1 to 6 dB. Set every threshold last, by watching the gain reduction meter, not by copying a number.
The stages, in order
Even out the notes, 3:1 to 6:1
Some notes boom and others vanish. Brings every note to a similar level so the bass line holds steady.
Start with the RMS detector, a ratio of 3:1 to 6:1, an attack of 10 to 30 ms and a release of 60 to 150 ms. The slow attack lets the front of each note or hit through before the compressor reacts, which keeps the punch. Set the release so the meter falls back to zero before the next note or hit, or the next one starts already turned down and loses its punch.
Lower the threshold until the meter shows 3 to 6 dB of gain reduction on the loudest parts. If a bass line peaks near −6 dB, that is a threshold of about −18 dB. The RMS detector reads the average level, which sits a few dB below the peaks, so its threshold sits lower.
Hold the peaks, 8:1 to 10:1
Slapped or picked notes still spike after the first stage. Catches the few notes that jump out, like a gentle limiter.
Start with the Peak detector, a ratio of 8:1 to 10:1, an attack of 1 to 3 ms and a release of 30 to 60 ms. The fast attack catches each peak before it gets past. Set the release so the meter falls back to zero before the next note or hit, or the next one starts already turned down and loses its punch.
Lower the threshold until the meter shows 1 to 3 dB of gain reduction on the loudest parts. If a bass line peaks near −6 dB, that is a threshold of about −8 dB.
This stage stays out of the starting point. Add it only when you can hear the problem in a bass line.
The settings in Live 12
CompressorLite, Intro, Standard, Suite
- Model
- RMS
- Threshold
- -18.0 dB
- Ratio
- 4.00 : 1
- Attack
- 20.0 ms
- Release
- 100 ms
- Knee
- 3.0 dB
- Makeup
- On
A 20 ms attack lets the pluck of each note through before the compressor holds the body. If the release pumps on fast lines, shorten it toward 60 ms.
Glue CompressorStandard, Suite
- Threshold
- -14.0 dB
- Ratio
- 4
- Attack
- 10
- Release
- .1
- Makeup
- 3.00 dB
Glue Compressor stands in for the stage that evens out the notes. At 4:1 with a 10 ms attack and a 0.1 second release it holds a bass line well. Lower the threshold until the meter moves 3 to 6 dB on the loudest notes.
In short: even out the notes at 3:1 to 6:1 with 3 to 6 dB of gain reduction. Then switch the compressor off and on at the same loudness, and keep it only if the part sounds steadier, not just louder.
Bass guitar and synth bass
A bass guitar almost always needs compression. Every string, fret and pluck comes out at a slightly different level. The open E rings louder than a note high on the G string, and a note the player hit hard jumps out of the line. In a mix those jumps make the low end feel unsteady, with some notes booming and others dropping away under the kick.
The leveling stage on this page fixes that. It uses the RMS detector, so it follows the body of each note instead of the sharp front edge, and a ratio of 3:1 to 6:1. The attack of 10 to 30 ms lets the pluck through before the compressor holds the rest of the note, so the line stays clear on small speakers. A slapped or hard picked part can still spike after that, which is what the optional peak stage is for. It sits after the first one at 8:1 to 10:1 and only touches the few notes that jump out.
A synth bass is a different case. Many synth patches play every note at the same level already, so a compressor has nothing to even out. Check the meter before you add one. If the synth has a filter envelope or velocity on the level, the notes may still vary, and then the same leveling stage works. If the patch is already flat, leave the compressor off and use the fader.
Making room for the kick
The kick and the bass share the same low end, and when they hit at the same time they add up into a muddy thump. Compression can help in two ways.
The first is simply the steadier line from the leveling stage. When the bass sits at one level, you can set its fader so it sits just under the kick, and it stays there for the whole song.
The second is sidechain compression, where the kick turns the bass down for a moment each time it hits. In Live, put a Compressor on the bass, turn on its sidechain and pick the kick track as the source. The bass then ducks under every kick and comes back between them. Keep it subtle for a natural mix, with just enough gain reduction that the kick reads clearly. In dance music a deeper duck is part of the sound, and you can push it until the bass pumps with the beat.
EQ matters here too. If the kick and bass both carry a big boost in the same low area, no compressor will separate them. Decide which one owns the very bottom and which one sits a little above it, and cut the other one there.
Fast lines and long notes
The release is the setting to watch on bass, because bass notes are long and low. Start between 60 and 150 ms.
On a fast line, with notes close together, use the shorter end. If the release is too slow, the compressor is still holding the next note down when it arrives, so the line starts to sound uneven in a new way, with every note after a loud one coming in quiet. Watch the meter. It should fall back toward zero between notes.
On long held notes, use the longer end. A release that is too short on a low note lets the compressor follow the shape of the wave itself. You hear that as a buzzy, gritty distortion on the low notes. If a sustained note starts to sound rough, lengthen the release before you change anything else.
Mistakes that kill the low end
Too fast an attack is the most common one. It catches the pluck at the start of each note and flattens it, so the bass loses its edge and sinks into the mix. Keep the attack on the leveling stage at 10 ms or slower, and only use a fast attack on the peak stage.
Too much gain reduction is the next. If the meter moves much more than 6 dB, the bass loses its life and starts to sound like a held organ note. The line should still feel played.
Judging in solo is another. A bass on its own can sound full and loud, then vanish once the kick and guitars come in. Make every choice with the whole track playing, and check it on small speakers or earbuds, where only the upper part of the bass comes through.
Stacking compressors without a reason is the last. A compressor on the bass track, another on a bass group and a bus compressor on the mix all add up. Use the stages you can hear working, and switch each one off now and then to check it still earns its place.
Questions people ask
Should you use compression on bass?
In most mixes, yes. Bass notes ring out louder or quieter depending on the string, the fret and how hard each one was played, and those jumps make the low end feel unsteady. A compressor evens them out so every note holds up the song. A synth bass that already plays at one level may need little or none.
What is a good compression ratio for bass?
A ratio of 3:1 to 6:1 is a good start for evening out the notes, with 4:1 in the middle. For a slapped or hard picked part, add a second stage at 8:1 to 10:1 that only catches the few notes that still spike, with 1 to 3 dB of gain reduction.
What are good compressor settings for bass?
In Live's Compressor, try Model on RMS, Ratio at 4.00 : 1, Attack at 20.0 ms, Release at 100 ms and Knee at 3.0 dB. Then lower Threshold until the loudest notes show 3 to 6 dB of gain reduction. The 20 ms attack lets the pluck of each note through before the compressor holds the body.
What compressor is best for bass?
In Live, Compressor works in every edition and gives you the detector, the knee and an exact release time. Glue Compressor, in Standard and Suite, has fewer controls, but at 4:1 with a 10 ms attack and a 0.1 second release it holds a bass line well. Either one does the job, so pick by your edition and by ear.